Automobile suspension



May 31, 927.

E. l.. MARTIN AUTOMOBILE SUSPENSION Filed July 3l. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1@www y E. 1 MARTIN AUTOMOBILE SUSPENSION Filed July 3l. 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR l t. /Zmr/N.

Patented May 3l, 1927.

UNITED EARL L. MARTIN, OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,

ASSIGNOR T C. L. BROWN, OF MIAMI,

FLORIDA.

AUTOMOBILE SUSPENSION.

Application led July 31,

My invention relates to an automobile suspension and has for its objectto provide a new and improved means for suspending the frame of anautomobile. It further has for its object to provide a suspension whichshall be more durable than suspensions now in use and which shalleliminate the intense shock of springs at present in use. It further hasfor its object to greatly reduce the cost of suspension and to providemeans for adjusting the same to meet varying conditions. 1

The following is a description of an embodiment of my invention,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in

which,

Fig. l shows a side elevation of the frame of a chassis, together withtwo side wheels and suspension connecting the two, the same being on theline 1-1, Fig. 2; v

Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the same, parts being shown broken away; v

Fig. 3 is a rear View of the same with the frame in section on the line33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a detail showing the suspension clamp over therear axle;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 5-5, Fig. 6; 1

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6, Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 shows a sectional View of an end socket secured to a cablesection; and

Fig. 8 shows a sectional view of a turn buckle connected to a loop inthe suspension cable. 'y

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 2 is a side member of theframe supported upon a forward axle 4 and a rear housing 6 surroundingan axial section 8. l0 are wheels Vcarried by knuckles l2 carn ried bythe front axle and 14 are wheels carried 4by the rear axle sections. Thetwo frame members are connected together in the ordinary way bycross-bars 16. The forward end portions 18 and the rear end portions ofthe side bars extend downwardly, the same being' rigid and vpreferablyintegral with the body portions of the side bars. Connected to the lowerends of these downwardly projecting' portions is a vcable formed of twolooped sections 22 and 24 and a turn buckle 26, whereby the two sectionscan be drawn as taut as desired. Each section is provided with a thimble28 having arms 30 which embrace the ends or goose necks32 1925. SerialNo. 47,264.

of the side frames, being secured thereby by a bolt 34 surrounded by abronze bushing 36 and having a shoulder 38 so as vto prevent the nutfrom drawing the arms 30 together sufliciently to bind upon the sides ofthe goose neck 32. One arm 30, being clamped between the shoulder 38 andthe nut 40, holds the thimble fixed relatively to the bolt 34 so thatany movement which takes place is between the bolt 34 .and the bronzebushing 36, the surfaces of which can be lubricated in any desiredmanner.

'The thimble 28 is provided with a conical recess 42 into which thevends of the cable loop are introduced. After the ends are so introducedthe strands are spread out and secured thereinrby babbitt 44 in theordinary way. The turn buckle is provided with lock nuts 46 and 48 whichhold the same in fixed position after adjustment. The looped end of thecableis provided with a metal cable eye 50 which prevents wear directlyupon the cable.

The cable is secured to the front axle and to the rear axle housing bytwo clamps composed of a lower plate 52 and an upper plate 54 havingparallel grooves lined with babbitt 56. For the purpose of assemblytheseplates, after being placed upon the cables, are clamped together bybolts 58. A clamping plate is placed upon the top of the plate 54r andthe wholeV is clampedftogether by U-bolts 62 secured bythe nuts 64. Therear clamp rests upon a flattened surface 66 of the rear housing,aorecess being formed for the head of the central bolt 58. Thelower-plate of the forward clamp rests upon the flat surface of theforward axle, being secured thereto by depending U-bolts 68 passingthrough ears 7 0 formed upon the front axle. Y

' In order to reduce shocks due to inequalities in the road and preventsidewise swaying of the car body, I provide shock absorbers, preferablyof the well known Gabriel snubber type. lThese snubbers have arms 72connected to the front axle and rear axle housing respectively. Theconnections with the frontV axle are preferably U-bolts 74. The rearsnubbers are directly bolted to the rear housings as shown at 76. Thecasings of these snubbers are inclined as shown in Figs. Zand 3 so thattheir straps 78 are inclined and extend upwardly and outwardly, the samevbeing connected to the cross-bars 16. The snubbers in these' inclinedpositions act to prevent not only the upwardthrow of the frame but alsoto prevent any sideway swaying thereof.

I preferably clamp the cable loops'beL tween the turn buckles by clamps80,

In operation, the frame with the parts supported thereby, hangs easilyupon the axles, being suspended by the cables and there being an absenceoi spring action, and 'the objectionable rebound of the springs onautomobiles as madeat present is eliminated. It, however, eitherwlieclih'its an oljstiuc-` tion, ythe portion of the cable adjacentthere-V to moves upwardly, which tends to throw the cable adjacent tothe' other wheel down'- wardly, resulting in a yielding. action andequalizing the entire weight, there necessarily being some slack in thecable. This action is due to the tact that each cable is connected toboth the front axle and the rear axle housing, which is an' importantfeature in my invention. The cable, when adjusted, however, is so Vtautas to be ap-j proximat'ely straight. Itis satisfactory if the adjustmentis such that from the clamp to the adjacent end of the iframe there isan approximate two inch drop, the clamps b eing about two feet from theends of the cables. The clamps secure the front axle and rear housing tothe cables at iixed points and the portion of t-he cable between saidpoints is maintained normally taut and straight by the weight ot' the.supporting parts.

The suspension is not only one'V Y which rides easily but is verydurable, is cheap yto immu'tacture, and it eliminates practically allpoints of lubrication under a car.

It is particularly adapted for automobile trucks in whichasat presentconstructed there lis practically no resiliency if the load issubstantially less than full capacity load, such 'for instance as a oneton load on a truck of six ton capacity. j

As will be evident tothose skilled in the art, my invention permits ot'various modilications without departing from the spirit thereoil or thescope ot the appended claims.

What I claim is z. v l. In anautomobile suspension the combination of aframe having two side bars with downwardly turned end portions, cablestixedly connected tothe vends of each ot' s aid side bars, and a frontaxle and a rear axle housing connected by clamps to each of said cablesat fixed points removed from the Aends thereof, the parts of said cablesbetween said points being straight.

2. I nan automobile suspension the combinationY of a trarne havingvtwofsidebars with downwardly Vturned end portions, cables connecting theends of each of said sideba'i-s, and a front'axle and a rear axlehousing connected by clamps to each of said cables at fixed pointsremoved from the ends thereof,y said cables comprising stranded sectionsand tension adjusting means, the portions of said cables between saidpoints being straight y Y 3. `In an automobile suspension thecombination or' a traine having two side bars with ldownwardly turnedend portions, cables connecting the ends ot each otA said side bars,- afront axle and a rear axlehousing connected ylixedly to .each ofsaidcables at points removed from the ends thereof,

each of said cables comprising looped stranded sections, and turnbuckles connecting the looped ends o t said sections.-

4. In anautomobile suspension the combination of a frame having two sidebars with downwardlyl turned end portions, cables connecting the ends ofeach ot said side bars, babbitt lined clamps upony said cables removedfrom the ends thereof, and a front axle and a rear axle housingconnected to said clamps.

A5. In an automobile` suspension the combination ot a iframe having twoside'bars with downwardlyy turned end portions,

cables xedly connected to the ends of each otsaid side bars,ra`trontaxle'and a rear axle housing connectedto each of said cables at ixedpoints removed from the ends thereof, and snubbers connected to saidframe and saidaxle and housing and inclinedat an angle from alongitudinal vertical plane. 6.V In an automobile suspension thecombination of a frame having two side bars wit-h downwardly turnedV endY"portions,

cables connecting the ends of each of said side'bars, a front axle andarear axle housing connected to each ojf said cables at points removedfrom the fendsfthereof, and snubbers connected to said trame and saidaxle and housing, said snubloers being inclined so as toretar'd bothvertical movement and lateralswinging of said frame. i In testimonywhereof, I have lsigned my' name to this sp'e'cication this 30th day' ofJuly, 1925.. I p j Y least i.. MARTN.

